Reports 2009-
Brandon Marsh 24th April 2010
This was our most attended trip of the season, with fifteen members in attendance.
We arrived at Brandon Marsh just prior to its opening at ten o’clock. In the car park we saw a few Swallows, perched on the electricity wires.
Brandon Marsh near Coventry is a very compact reserve with many habitats, a perfect reserve for a spring time visit.
We set off to the wooded & scrub area first. On the way by the first pool, our first Swifts were seen, together with House & Sand Martins. A Sparrowhawk was soaring overhead. A little further on our first Willow Warbler and Whitethroat were heard, also a distant Cuckoo was calling. The scrubland was full of singing birds it was a wonderful sound, as well as the birds previously noted, Chiffchaffs, and Blackcap were heard.
A little further on a stunning pair of Bullfinches quite close gave us excellent views. After the wooded area a pair of Cetti’s Warblers were seen nest building, Sedge Warblers were calling from the reed bed. At this time three buzzards were riding the thermals above us. A Marsh Harrier was seen in the distance by some of the party.
By the next pool with islands and muddy areas, we saw our first waders. There were about eight Little Ringed Plovers, a pair of Oystercatchers and a pair of Snipe and many Lapwing. A few Common Tern were on the rafts. Many Sand Martins were collecting mud to line their nests in the artificial bank at one end of this pool. Later a warden told us that they had ringed fifty seven young from these nests the previous year.
After lunch we went to the hides on the other side of this pool where a Common Sandpiper, a pair of Redshank and a Yellow Wagtail were seen.
This was a excellent outing the weather was warm and sunny, and over sixty species of birds were seen.
Dave Jones (photographs by Phil Farrer &
Stuart Harrison
Stuart Harrison)
Grey Heron (Phil Farrer)
Reed Warbler (Phil Farrer)
Little Grebe (Phil Farrer) 
il Farrer)
